1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
I didn't like walking around the murky campground without a flashlight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the murky shadows of the cemetery
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3
as in hazy
filled with or dimmed by fine particles (as of dust or water) in suspension
skies made murky from the smoke of forest fires that were many miles to the west
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4
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
a murky reply to a question about his intentions
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5
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a gubernatorial candidate with a murky position on the hot-button issue of capital punishment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murky
The Taliban continue to hold the remains of American Paul Overby, one citizen who has not been named and whose circumstances remain murky, and Habibi — though the Taliban have never acknowledged his case.
—
Stephen Smith, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
In Bensaid's video, she can be seen rowing through murky, brown waters filled with debris.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The timeline after that grows murkier.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Dolphins use them to stay in touch with each other in their murky habitat, where vision is limited.
—Laela Sayigh, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murky
Stephen Smith, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
In Bensaid's video, she can be seen rowing through murky, brown waters filled with debris.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The timeline after that grows murkier.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Dolphins use them to stay in touch with each other in their murky habitat, where vision is limited.
—Laela Sayigh, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murky
Adjective
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As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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On the last night that anybody else reportedly saw Nancy, that camera caught a glimpse of a person clad in dark clothes, wearing gloves and a black balaclava, unidentifiable, standing at the threshold.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Not only did that article form the basis of the film, but Lumet actually took the note and cast Pacino in the role of that dark, thin fellow.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some people who live in the Denver metro area on Thursday afternoon were making calls to 911 after skies became noticeably hazy and winds kicked up.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
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The new tunes showed an evolving sound while maintaining the band’s distinctive hazy, atmospheric tone.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Language that humans easily understand can be too ambiguous for machines, especially when multiple objects look similar.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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Was there any thought of ending there and leaving what happens next ambiguous?—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The attack came hours after Saree signaled in a vague statement Friday that the rebels would join the war.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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These designations are, first and foremost, vague.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What’s great about Grayson’s story is that things were looking pretty bleak before the Bananas rolled into town about a decade ago.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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The future looks bleak for non-power conferences and uncertain for Big East, Big 12 and ACC, too.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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To the left of Castor and Pollux lies the constellation Cancer, the crab, the core of which plays host to the 100-strong stellar population of the Beehive Cluster (M44), which is visible as a small, misty patch of light on moonless nights.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
19 Mar. 2026
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Other images similarly mix the romantic and the mundane, with glamorous students in front of kitschy backdrops of misty woodlands or positioned between towering candelabras.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The three-page letter is somewhat cryptic.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
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The lyrics are often cryptic and clipped, but bear evidence of turbulence and tumult.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murky. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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